Sony Mobile could launch Windows Phone 8 smartphone

Expect Sony Mobile to launch one or more Windows Phone 8 smartphones after Sony Mobile’s UK and Ireland MD, Pierre Perron, suggested that the company has opted for a strategy of openness.

Mobiletoday reported Perron as saying, “Microsoft is a Sony partner with the likes of our VAIO laptops and it’s integrated onto our tablets. As far as Xperia smartphones go, Android remains the preferred partner, although Sony is not a single partner company. We are currently investigating with the likes of Microsoft the possibility of diversifying our product strategy.”

Sony Ericsson did sell Windows Mobile handsets a few years ago under the Xperia banner but they were not commercially successful. However, under the leadership of Sony Mobile, things are likely to be different for several reasons.

Firstly, Microsoft’s new mobile OS is significantly better than its predecessor. Also Sony is one of the very few companies (alongside Toshiba and Samsung) that can offer complete ecosystems based on one OS.

Last but not least, Sony Mobile has a long standing strategic partnership with ST-Ericsson, which, alongside Qualcomm, is the only official WP8 system-on-chip provider. This could mean cheaper and more differentiated handsets.